Bittersweet
by Millie Bates
Summary: What if the guards would have caught Sarah just as she was walking up the staircase to finally face Jareth? Hopefully I will learn soon how to write, how I say, perversions of the sexual nature, because I like my fanfic saucy. Sometimes dark Jareth, depends on how I feel like going. Also, Sarah will remain her original age the entire time. M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Sarah didn't know how it had happened, but she had been caught. She thought she had it all planned out perfectly in her head. It wasn't fair. She had stormed the large stone castle with Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus, and had told them that she had to fight alone. At the top of the long, spiraling staircase were hundreds of guards, armed and ready to take her down with the flick of their small, yet strong, wrists. She whipped her head around to turn back, to go back down the staircase and run for help, but it was no use. The guards had swarmed her and nipped at her body with sharp swords and spears.

"It isn't fair! It just isn't fair!," she cried out.

The guards dragged her down into the dungeon and threw her into the smallest cell in the corner of the large stone room.

"Please, let me go! I need to save my brother," she said.

The guards said nothing, and marched out of the dungeon.

She was alone. The smell of death rose into her nostrels and lingered despite her effort to breath only through her torn white shirt. She leaned against the wall and slid down, only to hear a crack beneath her as she sat down. Her shaking hands reached beneath her and felt the eye sockets of a skull, a small skull. She screamed in terror and drew her hand back.

"Please. Please let me go."

As soon as she muttered the words, a shadow appeared in front of her cell.

Again. Sarah let out a shrill scream of terror as the shadow came closer to her.

"Why did you put me here," she sobbed, "where is Toby?"

Silence.

"Please. Tell me."

Silence.

"Please! It isn't fair!"

Again, silence. She stuck her hand out of the cell and grasped a long leg.

"I'll-I'll do anything. Please, just let him go."

The shadow was silent for a moment.

"Anything?" he asked.

"Anything."

He was silent.

"You will stay here in Tobys place. Forever."

A sliver of candlelight glistened in her green eyes and tears began rolling down her blushed cheeks. She began to sob and he watched as her tears fell onto his boots. He brought his hand back and slapped her across the cheek.

He looked at her in curiosity and disgust. "Thats enough."

She looked up at him and felt her lips quivering. She had to leave. She couldn't stay here forever. Not with this man. No, this monster. She turned away from him and listened to the clicking of his heels as he walked up the stairs. She closed her eyes.

"It's just a dream," she muttered to herself, over and over again, until soon, she was fast asleep.

Sarah opened her eyes as the clock struck 13. The room was completely dark, and she could hear no noise throughout the dungeon besides...the clock? But she hadn't remembered a clock in the dungeon when she was being dragged into her cell. She frantically sat up. She froze and bounced faintly on the bed as she did so. But she didn't remember falling asleep in a bed. She remembered falling asleep beside a cold stone wall and thick metal bars. A candle lit up on the table beside the bed.

She felt herself shaking. "Get out. Get. Out."

"I'm not here, Sarah, precious."

"But I saw you light that candle."

"Magic."

"Where am I?" She turned around and looked at the large room. The bed was silver and soft. The room itself was made out of dark grey stone with one small window above an old wooden chest.

"Your new room."

"I don't want to live here. I want to go home." Tears welled up again in her eyes.

He appeared suddenly behind her and tapped his heels against the floor. "This is your home now."

She spun around quickly. Her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest. "Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me." Jareth wrapped his long fingers around her neck gently. He smiled. "Why would I ever do that to you?" He could feel her trembling.

"Get away," she spat, though she feared him more than she hated him.

"Sarah," he moved his hands down her body. "I aim to please you."

She stared at the window hopefully. Perhaps, if she ran fast enough, she could make it to the window and jump. She felt her legs ache to run for it.

She bolted.

She lunged for the window but felt a strong hand grab her ankle and yank her down. Her head slammed into the stone floor.

"You stupid, stupid girl! You idiot!" He yelled as he picked her up. "I'm giving you everything you've ever dreamed of, and you try to leave me." He pulled a long chain out of a chest in the corner and laid her down on the bed. He chained her wrists to the bedposts and she didn't resist. She could only faintly hear his voice and her arms and legs wouldn't budge. Her head throbbed. She looked up at him with big eyes and tried to move her head, but his hand grabbed her face and pulled it up to meet his.

"I was going to ask you to be my queen, but I see you must be," he paused and looked at her in disgust, "domesticated, first." He ran his fingers down her cheek. She looked at him in a daze. She couldn't see how such a beautiful man could have done this to her. He had slapped her and forced her to live with him, but she couldn't ignore his beauty. Her eyes explored his face curiously as she tried to touch the wound on her head, but he stopped her and kissed the wound gently. She felt the pain subside and her body growing weaker.

She looked up at him. "I-" she began to drift off. "I-I-"

He began to walk towards the large wooden doors.

She felt herself slipping. "I-I hate you."

**I'd love some feedback because this is my first one. Thank you so much.**

**By the way, I'm not much of a nerd. but this seemed fun to me. **


	2. Chapter 2: The party

**Had to type this on my ipad. Not a good experience. Hope you like it! I know its a little slow. **

**Leave any questions, comments, or ideas! Thank you!**

For the past week, she had stayed in her room. He never came to visit her and he never spoke to her through the thick walls. Every so often a servant would drop off a meal for her, and she would pick at it, but besides that, she saw nobody.

Since her last attempt to jump out of the window, he had put bars up on her window, but she still hopefully looked out at the sky. She hung her pale arms outside and felt the breeze. As she did so, she smiled to herself. She always believed in the simple things to bring herself happiness.  
"I wish I could fly. Turn into a bird and just fly between the bars and away from this awful place." She clenched the bars and sighed. "So dramatic." She spun around to see his harsh eyes piercing into hers. She backed up into the wall and clenched her fists tightly.  
He watched her and smirked. "Why do you fear me?" She carefully moved away from him. "I-I don't. I don't fear you." She lifted her chin nervously. He grinned slyly at her gesture. "It would be my pleasure if you could make an appearance at my little party tonight. Maybe change out of your peasant clothes first."  
"I don't want to and I don't have to. You have no power over me." She stepped slightly closer to him. The smile faded from his lips. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. "Don't defy me, Sarah." She cried out and looked up into his eyes. She started to speak, but before she could his hand clenched tighter. "Your dress is in the wardrobe. A servant will be sent up to help you." He released her hair reluctantly and left her.  
Sarah rubbed the back of her head and heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in," she said as she began to take off her torn clothes.  
"G'morning, dearie," a shrill voice rang throughout the room. "My name is Tula, and yours is?"  
Sarah looked down at the old goblin woman. "Sarah. It's nice to meet you. It's nice to meet anyone besides him." She threw her clothes in a heap on the floor. Tula looked at the clothes and shuffled around to the wardrobe. "Lets get this dress on, dearie. And a pretty one it is too." Sarah looked over her shoulder at the dress. She gasped.  
The dress was beautiful. Diamonds were scattered over the top of the blue silk fabric. She could tell it was a fluffy dress. The kind a princess, or a queen, would wear to a grand ball. "It's beautiful. It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. I can't believe it's mine. I can't-" she paused. She shouldn't have been so happy. She was trapped. But she couldn't help the bubbly feeling rising inside of her.  
"But first, the underwear, dearie." Tula picked up short silk bloomers and handed them to Sarah. She stared at the old goblin. "But I thought I was wearing the dress? Am I wearing these shorts now instead?" Tula laughed. "They go under the dress." Sarah picked up the bloomers and slid them up her legs. "Is that all?" She lifted the dress, but Tula shook her head. "I'm sorry to do this to you, girlie." She lifted an iron corset out of a cabinet that hadn't been there before.  
Sarah looked at the corset with wide eyes, but didn't refuse. She shivered as the cool iron met her skin. "Hold still." Tula struggled to pull the corset together and clasp it. It felt like it was 6 sizes to small. "It's not fair. How am I supposed to breathe in this?" She gasped and tried to slump down to let her body rest, but the corset wouldn't allow it. She had to stand straight.  
Finally, she slipped the dress on while Tula worked on her hair. By the time she was ready, she didn't look like herself. She looked like royalty. She glanced at the clock. Nine o'clock. She was late. She ran out and down the staircase as quickly as possible in her dress.  
Sarah could see all of the guests. They all wore masks and large dresses with lace and feathers. The sight was beautiful. She looked at the quests in awe before she felt her foot slip beneath her. She rolled down the last few steps and landed with a thud on her bottom. Sarah felt her cheeks burning hot.  
Every quest turned to her. But more importantly, Jareth had turned to her. She could see the anger rising within him. "Jareth, I didn't mean to fall, it was all just so beautiful." He strode quickly to her and grabbed her arm. He smiled at her. But she was not comforted. She could still see the fire.  
"Go ahead, continue."  
The guests pretended to not notice the two and were dancing and chatting again.  
Jareth pressed his lips to Sarahs ear. "How dare you? Little girl, you will regret your mistake. You will not go unpunished." He held out his arm and smiled angrily. "Shall we?"  
She took his arm and nodded solemnly. He walked her to the center of the room. She tried to cover her fear with distractions. She noticed the beautiful decorations. She noticed Jareths beautiful clothes. He pulled her closer and swayed with her. "You look beautiful, Sarah."  
She looked up into his eyes, which seemed to be calm. "Thank you." She watched his hands as they traced her body. His lips kissed down her neck. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore it. She could hear him breathing quietly. Her body grew weaker. She looked up at his shoulder and rested her cheek on it.  
What felt like minutes turned into hours, and all the guests had gone, but Sarah hadn't noticed. She hadn't ever been held, and right now, she needed someone to hold her. She pretended it wasn't Jareth, though in the back of her mind she knew.  
Jareths fingers traced her jaw. His lips almost touched hers. She could feel the heat rising off of him and his body pressing against hers. She pouted faintly. "Stop."  
He looked down at her red lips and licked his own. "I've seen your dreams, precious. You want me and it kills you. You can't admit that you want someone so-" he paused to mock her "-'cruel'". Sarah tried to pull away, but he pinned her against the wall. His lips brushed against hers. He looked down into her eyes and smiled.  
"Don't. This isn't right." She squirmed and kicked at him, but he didn't move. His lips pressed against hers.  
She didn't move her lips. She stared up into his blue eyes. She was confused. Tears welled up in her eyes. She touched his smooth cheek with her fingertips. "Leave me alone. I've played your little game, let me leave."  
Silence.  
Jareth grabbed her wrists and threw her onto the ground. "Everything I've done is for you."  
Sarah looked up at him sadly. He glared down at her. "Thank me for everything I've done for you."  
Silence.  
He struck her hard with the back of his hand. "Thank me."  
Sarah looked at him through tears. "Thank you. Thank you so much."  
Jareth lifted her into his arms and held her. He kissed her eyes. "You're welcome, precious." Sarah buried her face into his shoulder and cried. She had nobody to turn to anymore.  
Sarah feared Jareth more than anybody. But she needed him.

Feel free to review.


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